My friend Datuk Dr Leonard de Vries once told me that sports in Malaysia is run without direction because there is no National Sports Policy as a guide. Either that, or, assuming there is one on someones table, the officials do not understand the importance of such a policy.
A reader of this blog recently posted a comment in which he or she said that KBS is now "Kementerian Bola Sepak" . I suppose the the reader gave that name partly due to the Ministry's new policy for having a finger in almost everything with the Football Association if Malaysia (FAM).
I suppose that the reader also meant what many are noticing lately, the officials like to be involved in publicity generating activities - being where the ball is.
Under the KBS there is the National Sports Council (NSC) and National Sports Institute (ISN), both of which are actively involved in sports in the country. But, how should they be involved and how much in each sport is a problem which no one dares to answer.
The National Sports Associations (NSAs) sometimes say that there is interference, but other times they just keep quiet.
Now the authorities are directly involved in arranging training stints for national football teams, a job which the FAM itself must do. The authorities can be involved in other ways, such as monitoring the progress and alerting the national body if there is a need for corrective measures.
The fact that FAM allows this also shows that the national body needs a drastic change. Now they have an identity crisis and sometimes show that they are not in charge of football. There is a "third force" going on football trips to arrange training stints.
They want to arrange travel and lodging for badminton players. The reason being the BAM tries to save cost by booking flights that have connections that "is uncomfortable". Since when is being prudent wrong? Hey, Kenny Goh and the admin team at BAM must conduct a course for the powers that be on how to manage finances.
Talking about finances, when will we realise that the Le Tour de Langkawi has failed to achive its objective of developing local road riders? A lot of money have been spent and the team is still no where. Local riders were doing well in first few stages but when it came to hilly terrain, they were lost.
In a tour, winning the over-all position and the up hill stages are the important ones. Why no local riders manged that, after all these years of organizing the tour? The money spent on this tour should be utilised to start a road program, possibly geared towards having riders in the 20202 Olympics.
If the authorities really care for Annuar Manan, then prepare him for a future as a coach and if some how he feels he has to compete in the Tour de France, then send him to Tour of Indonesia and the other tours in Indonesia. All these tour have mostly up hill stages.
Or, at least share some of the money with sports like weightlifting and gymnastics, both of which have the potential to win at Olympics, and sepaktakraw.
Sometimes I wonder if the day will come when certain parties will do everything and and the NSAs will just have meetings after meetings and then more meetings before the AGM. Now they are booking tickets, hotels and checking the quality of food. Would they be sanitizing Datuk Sieh Kok Chi's office or taking Datuk Azuddin Ahmad car for repair after this?
Sometime in 1996, a National Sports Convention was held in Langkawi with the hope of drawing up a concrete National Sports Policy. What happened to that?
And, friends like de Vries have put up paper after paper to draw attention to the need of having proper policies so that there is a direction for sports. But, all have failed, and the result we have a "ball policy", follow where the ball goes and jump.
Maybe, there is too much staffs in certain organizations, and they have to give them jobs like booking tickets and things like that. Train the NSAs to do things properly and let them do it.
I read with horror a news report that said the people who organised the LTDL wants to run all the tours in the country. Then, why do you need the National or states bodies?
De Vries, collect all the papers you have presented and send copies to the Prime Minister and Sports Minister. Do not send anywhere eles because they are too busy booking tickets, hotels and tasting foods.
You go Joe!!! Tell the people of sport in Malaysia to WAKE UP!!
ReplyDeleteJust check the Sports Act 1997 under dispute act 23 and then read act 24 which refers to act 23(1) which is not printed in the sport act 1997.
ReplyDeleteIt is just a merry go round for association under dispute to not solve any problem.
I've waken since 2005...but unfortunately not everyone in my association share the same enthusiasm like me. Some prefer a more longer sleep...and even they are others who prefer to sleep forever.
ReplyDeleteI share the same desires like Datuk Dr. Leonard de Vries...and have share my thoughts with him.
Our government agencies & Ministry should compliment the sports associations and not take over their task to control their expenditure. We must and have to be reminded that sport associations are still a Non-Governmental Organisation...run by volunteers and must be void from any political interference (internally or externally) for the betterment of sports & country.
We like to revise the heading:
ReplyDeleteNo policy, no direction
"only Policing uno direction"
Dear Anon 11.22 am. You are absolutelt correct that there are no provision under Section 23 (1) of the Sports Development Act. However reading to Section 24 (2) it refers to sub section (1), the sub section in Setion 24 refers to an internal procedure whereby the aggrieved party can refer directly to the Minister.
ReplyDeleteFrom the above, I would venture to say that the internal procedure is one that involves the SC office. For in Section 24 (2) clearly states that even if it is not referred to the MInister, the SC can where necessary and expedient refer to the Minister.
Now here the Minister can seek the advice of the Sports Advisory Panel or any other committee before it makes a decision.
The reality of the matter is the SC is an arm of the Minister office. That is why you see the SC are now directly involved in trying to resolve the matter. Taekwando is a classic example. The Sports Advisory Panel is the last resort and it does not look good on the Minister or SC if the matter is referred to this body.
As far as I know, I do not even think there is a Sports Advisory Panel being set up under Section 27. What is a joke is Section 28, on the composition of the SAP a chairman and not more than 8 members of which 2 must be from OCM.
This is a big joke for one simple reason, OCM is a body registered under the SDA, look at Section 9 it say clearly there. Really what is so special about OCM? There are just another Sports Body and the sit in judgment of another sport body? Everyone who has been following this Sports Blog knows that OCM especially the Grand Old Man are a major contributors to the Sports Problems in Malaysia. Now they sit in judgment! Figuratively speaking you are getting a bunch of monkeys sitting in judgment on who should own the bananas.
Look at Section 8 (2) on the functions of the OCM if I may extract the same..." The OCM shall be responsible for ensuring that the participation of Malaysia in the Olympic Games, Asian Games, Commonweath Games, SEA Games and others that are in accordance to the IOC, OCA, AGF,SEAGF.
Can you see that OCM is a glorified secretariat in sending the athletes to the Games, where does it say that they can send anyone they like, like their Olympic Team?
Complaints has been made aginst OCM as a sports body , but have you heard of any action taken against them?
There are provisions in the SDA, the problem is the will to impliment is sorely lacking. Of late the SC has done its level best to solve the problems and honestly I feel in the circumstances they have done a good job for Taekwando, that is depending on how you look at it.